Cheltenham Festival 2025 Day 2 - 12th March 2025

howareyakid

1:20: The New Lion 7/4

2:00: Ballyburn 8/13

2:40: Sandor Clegane 14/1 e/w

4:00: Jonbon 4/5

4:40: Unexpected Party 11/2

5:20: Kalypsochance 4/1

1:20: Seems like it’s a match between Final Demand and THE NEW LION, who couldn’t have looked more impressive than when winning at Newbury last December. Maybe there is slightly more substance in Final Demand’s Leopardstown form, but this race could just be more suited to the Dan Skelton-trained horse who runs in the JP McManus colours for the first time.

2:00: Can’t look past the class horse in BALLYBURN. Often this race can be a slog and doesn’t always suit the best horse, I don’t think, but it seems on paper that this horse has the highest ceiling of all these in here so his quality can prevail here I feel. Dancing City is a hell of a horse as well, though, and Better Days Ahead is sure to be a better chaser than he was a hurdler.

2:40: Coming from graded races and being routed back to hurdles, I feel SANDOR CLEGENE’s quality can get him into contention here. His best piece of form was finishing third in the Albert Bartlett here two years ago in a tough attritional race. This is a slightly different test but he has run with credit in graded staying hurdles this season and I am hoping he can have a big run in him here.

4:00: Felt again I kept coming back to JONBON here. Niggling feeling about his Cheltenham record and the record of odds-on/short-priced favourites in this race, but he sets the standard, and if he runs to his ability I feel any of his rivals will need to take a big step forward in order to beat him.

4:40: Winner of this last year and coming in again here on what looks to be another workable mark, I feel UNEXPECTED PARTY is a strong favourite and should have a good chance of being there or thereabouts here again.

5:20: I don’t think there is much between the market leaders, but I feel there is slightly more substance to the form of KALYPSOCHANCE when compared to Copacabana and Gameofinches. Visually, his performance at Navan looked very similar to the that of Copacabana. I have a good feeling about him.

Good luck all. Looking forward to Day 2!

zimmermania

away from Cheltenham Cloudy Wednesday 15/2 3.38 Huntington can go well if the ground stays good .Good ground suits best and I am hoping it stays as forecast

JP Liz V1

Kiss Will

Jimmy Du Seuil

Captain Guinness

American Mike

€5 e/w acc

crushproof

Crikey I can see the tumbleweed blowing through here, sad times.

Solness for me in the Queen Mother 4.00

TheMilkyPirate

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123258022#Comment_123258022

I must have refreshed the day one thread about 5 times over the course of the day thinking jesus this place is dead before it dawned on me that there's a day 2 thread 🙄

TheRiverman

Nicky Henderson needs to get rid of Nico De Boinville.

rolling boh

Another big gun beaten Nico had a pop at Sean Flanagan at the start for banging into the side of the fence ,if looks could kill after they pulled up .Jonbon must be destined not to win at the festival pity as he is a top horse .

TheRiverman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123258144#Comment_123258144

Needs a different jockey and maybe a different trainer.

rolling boh

Ruby suggested Nico was as much as fault as anyone for the messy start .Emotions run high straight after a race I suppose so things can be said then that on reflection might not .

howareyakid

Wow, absolutely remarkable that the two horses that gave Michael O’Sullivan his famous double two years ago have won again today🙏

flos1964

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123258366#Comment_123258366

Spooky… in a good way.

rolling boh

My mistake it was JJ Slevin Nico was having a pop at before the start ,starts were very messy for a few of the races, caused mainly by the jockeys .

howareyakid

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123257114#Comment_123257114

great shout with Jimmy Du Seuil!

rolling boh

really tricky today just can't find anything with any real confidence.Coverage has been good enough overall .If the would ditch Brian Gleeson I would be happy with that .

flos1964

Dreadful coverage as usual, ridiculous camera work again but the sight of the vile Alice Plunkett with her arms outstretched to heaven thanking Mikey o Sullivan takes some beating in the vomit inducing stakes